Four Asian sides – India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka –advanced to the Super League quarter-finals of the ICC U-19 Cricket World Cup in Bangladesh with their second successive wins yesterday. India and Nepal, which took the two top spots in Group D at the expense of New Zealand and Ireland, will clash on Monday in their last league match to decide the group winner. Pakistan and Sri Lanka advanced from Group B, which also included Afghanistan and Canada, and will play each other on Wednesday, February 3, to determine who tops the group.
Nepal rode on a five-wicket haul by leg-spinner Sandeep Lamichhane – which included the first hat-trick in the tournament – to defeat Ireland by eight wickets and confirm its maiden appearance in the quarter-finals.
Ireland was tied down to 131 for nine after electing to bat and Nepal, which had stunned New Zealand in its opening match, coasted home in the 26th over with Yogendra Karki making 61. Lamichhane had Lorcan Tucker and Adam Dennison caught off successive balls in his fourth over and then bowled Fiachra Tucker with his next delivery to complete the hat-trick.
India, sent into bat by New Zealand in Mirpur, piled up 258 for eight with Sarfaraz Khan top-scoring with 74 for the second time in the competition. Rishabh Pant made 57 and Armaan Jaffer scored 46.
But Mahipal Lomror stood out with a fine all-round display as he followed up his 45 with the bat with five for 47, which bundled New Zealand out for 138 in the 32nd over. Seamer Avesh Kumar, who took three wickets in his first four overs to reduce the Kiwis to five for three, finished with four for 32. He was later declared player of the match.
Sri Lanka survived a tense run-chase by Afghanistan before clinching win and a place in the quarter-finals. Skipper Charith Asalanka top-scored with 71 in Sri Lanka’s modest 184 all out, but Afghanistan was itself bowled out for 151 despite opener Karim Janat’s 40 and Waheedullah Shafaq’s 47.
Kamindu Mendis, who possesses a rare talent of bowling both right-arm off-spin and left-arm orthodox spin, claimed three wickets for 36 runs.
Pakistan scored a seven-wicket win over Canada after bowling out the unfancied rival for 178. Hasan Khan took three wickets and Shadab Khan took two. The Pakistanis surpassed the target in the 41st over with opener Zeeshan Malik scoring an unbeaten 89 and Saif Badar 44. Zeeshan was later declared player of the tournament.
Brief scores
Sri Lanka 184 all out, 48.1 overs (Charith Asalanka 71; Shamsurrahman Wali 3-19, Karim Janat 2-37, Zahir Khan 2-36) bt Afghanistan 151 all out, 44.5 overs (Waheedullah Shafaq 47, Karim Janat 40; Kamindu Mendis 3-36) by 33 runs
Canada 178 all out, 48.3 overs (Bhavindu Adhihetty 51, Abraash Khan 44; Hasan Khan 3-36, Shadab Khan 2-44) lost to Pakistan 180-3 in 40.5 overs (Zeeshan Malik 89 not out, Saif Badar 44) by seven wickets.
India 258-8, 50 overs (Sarfaraz Khan 74, Rishabh Pant 57, Armaan Jaffer 46, Mahipal Lomror 45; Zak Gibson 3-50, Nathan Smith 2-39, Rachin Ravindra 2-41) bt New Zealand 138 all out, 31.3 overs (Christian Leopard 40; Mahipal Lormor 5-47, Avesh Khan 4-32) 120 runs
Ireland 131-9, 50 overs (Harry Tector 30 not out; Sandeep Lamichhane 5-27, Dipendra Airee 2-18) lost to
Nepal 132-2, 25.3 overs (Yogendra Karki 61, Aarif Sheikh 31 not out) by 8 wickets
Today’s matches
Group A: Bangladesh v Scotland
Group A: South Africa v Namibia
Group C: West Indies v Fiji
Group C: England v Zimbabwe